Eleanore of Avignon
| High Middle Ages |
|---|
 Eleanore of Avignon
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| Content Warning |
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| antisemitism, pandemic, medical trauma, death |
World History > High Middle Ages > Plagues
Rich with unforgettable characters, gorgeously drawn, and full of captivating historical drama, Eleanore of Avignon is the story of a healer who risks her life, her freedom, and everything she holds dear to protect her beloved city from the encroaching Black Death
Provence, 1347. Eleanore (Elea) Blanchet is a young midwife and herbalist with remarkable skills. But as she learned the day her mother died, the most dangerous thing a woman can do is draw attention to herself. She attends patients in her home city of Avignon, spends time with her father and twin sister, gathers herbs in the surrounding woods, and dreams of the freedom to pursue her calling without fear. In a chance encounter, Elea meets Guigo de Chauliac, the enigmatic personal physician to the powerful Pope Clement, and strikes a deal with him to take her on as his apprentice. Under Chauliac’s tutelage she hones her skills as a healer, combining her knowledge of folk medicine with anatomy, astrology, and surgical techniques.
Then, two pieces of earth-shattering news: the Black Death has made landfall in Europe, and the disgraced Queen Joanna is coming to Avignon to stand trial for her husband’s murder. She is pregnant and in need of a midwife, a role only Elea can fill.
The queen’s childbirth approaches as the plague spreads like wildfire, leaving half the city dead in its wake. The people of Avignon grow desperate for a scapegoat and a group of religious heretics launch a witch hunt, one that could cost Elea—an intelligent, talented, unwed woman—everything.
Emily's Review
This was such an enjoyable read for me. It had so many things that I love in books - twins, a woman in science, early medicine, a medieval setting...it was a perfect read.
The characters were so incredibly vivid and the writing was beautiful and enthralling. I was so invested in the story that I had a hard time putting this book down. Eleanore is such a great protagonist. She's smart and fierce but also fearful and anxious. She is a talented herablist and healer in a time when women with such abilities were called witches and burned at the stake.
This book was so well written that I felt like I was actually there - I could see, hear, and smell the city. I didn't want the story to end. I immediately looked to see if DeLozier had a backlist and was shocked that this was her debut! I cannot wait to see what she writes next!
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